Page 136 of Insidious Heart
“No,Johnathon,Stevie and her brothers are not with me, just like my fucking text said. They were getting a ride to your place because I had to talk to the cops.”
He curses under his breath. “They aren’t here, Tor.”
“Fuck!” I punch the steering wheel just as my phone beeps. “Hold on, I got a text.”
BABY DOVE: We stopped at Linnie’s. Please don’t be mad. She’s letting me change since I’m still a mess.
BABY DOVE: Please don’t be mad, Gizmo. I couldn’t stay in those clothes and neither could the boys. Just come pick us up here then we’ll all go to John’s.
BABY DOVE: I love you.
With a sigh, I get off the highway before getting right back on. “They’re fine. I’m going to get them at Stevie’s friend's place then we’ll be there.”
“Good. Poor girl probably just wanted out of those bloody clothes.”
“Psychic bastard.” I chuckle, but maybe he’s not psychic, just more in tune with how to handle these things. “I’ll call when we pull up so you can let us in the gate.”
“Sounds good. Be safe.”
“Yeah, yeah.” I hang up and toss my phone on the seat after getting Linnie’s address from Stevie’s text.
She lives in what’s considered the nicer part of Rolling Meadows despite the entire thing being a shithole, and I’m glad for that because I know those buildings at least have cameras and a security guard in the lobby.
I pull around to the parking lot in the back, seeing a few people leaving for the early morning work rush and wait until they leave before I get out because I’m still covered in blood, too.
Don’t need to draw more attention to myself than my charming ass already does.
Checking my phone for her apartment number, I push the buzzer only to find that it’s broken, so I let myself in just as a text from Pope finally comes through.
BLASPHEMY: Got another body. Attacked a couple this time. Woman is DOA. Killed before the first one tonight, possibly even yesterday.
Great.
Looks like I won’t be getting any sleep in the near future.
I’ll get Stevie and the boys settled at John’s then I’ll go meet up with the unholy ray of sunshine so we can maybe get a lead on The Ripper.
If these bodies have been on site, undisturbed since yesterday, there’s bound to be something we can use to get us closer to catching the bastard.
ME: Send me the coordinates. I need to get Stevie and the kids settled, then I’ll meet your growly ass for a walk-through.
BLASPHEMY: Brick and I have it roped off. Hardly anything left of the woman but she seems to meet the MO. Location is strange though. And he either took the guy with him or he ran off.
That’s odd.
The Ripper doesn’t leave anyone alive and has yet to kidnap anyone.
Doesn’t mean he didn’t, though.
Serial killers change their MO all the time. Hell, I just did with Beauregard, and if The Ripper really is spiraling there’s no telling what he’ll do.
ME: Widen the search radius. If the guy took off, our boy wouldn’t let him get far.
BLASPHEMY: Already on it. Signs of a struggle about a mile away. More blood, two different patterns. Lots of broken branches and shit.
ME: Drag marks?
BLASPHEMY: Yeah. Scraps of clothing left behind. Part of hoodie, a piece of what could have been a dress shirt, pocket from a pair of jeans. And a wallet.
